Dental hand-piece sterilizer



y is of simple construction and convenient z Patenad Nov; 1., 1927.

v w mam. PTENT* OFFICE;

Jar/rss lina-ns, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

DENTAL AHriivn-rinen STERILIZER.

i ,appncaeon'fiied 'June 30, 1szt.v serial No. 119,518.

This invention relate's to sterilizers, and .more particularly to a sterilizle'rf for dental hand pieces.. I 'o IV-fhe main' objectvof this invention is to provide an improted means for sterilizing the hand piece of a dental engine.

Anotherv object of my inventlon is to pro vide a sterilizer for dental hand'prces wh handv to use,`

A i'nrther'VobeCt of my invention is to Vprovide dental hand piece sterilizer hzv'.finjj=v means for preventing` the escape of gaseou.: fumes from the disinfectant, whichmeans l`: adjustable to accommodate different size hand pieces. o o i 'still further object'of my invention is to provide a dental hand piece sterilizer he ing' an improved closu're'to prevent the e.- cape of fuines fromthe disinfectant when the sterilizei is not inuse. i

n performing` dental work such as 'cutting or grinding teeth in the patientls month, a hand piece is used to 'hold the burr or driil being used, and to provide a convenient means for guiding the drill or burr.` This hand piece is suitablyfastened to af fieXibe casinp` extending from the dental engine or motor and a fiexible shaft enclosed'v in the cas transmits power from 'the engine to thehand piece to rotate the burr or drill held in the hand piece. W' hen this hand piece is used, a substantial portion of it enters' the patienfis month. Fluids' of the month ai'e sme'ared over the hand piece by the fingers of the dentist and some of the fiuids are car- `ried by the instrument held' by the hand piece to the inner parts of the hand piece7 and, therefore, 'requires sterilization before the next patient takes the chair. vDue to the connection of the hand piece with the dental engine through the flexible shaft,' it has been at'all' times awkward'to steriiize this hand piece. Et must either. be diseonnected from :the fiexible Ashaft, which consumes considerabletimeand efort, or it may be sterilized by bathing it with some disinfectant -while it remains connected to the shaft. Both methods, however7 have'proven unsatisfactory, due to the awkwardness of the task,

and because of the ineonvenience of steri-' overcome and an effectual means of sterili-' zation is`provided. I

VMy invention consists-in a. container for disinfectantvmaterial, adapted to contain the dental hand piece'whenever it is not in use, Vand la eonvenient means which cooperates Vwith the sterilizer to support it and the contained dental hand piece. o

Further' features and advantages of my inventionv will readily become apparentthrough the following detaiied description accompanying` drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view vof the steriizer of my invention, showing,` lin dottediclines' a dentai hand piece contained therein;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the steriliz'er taken on the line of Figure 1; i o .Figure' 3 an enlarged detailed section-al view of the sterilizer ill'ustrating thev adjust, able'seai; and i J i Figure is a plan view of the sterilizer, with the closure shownin an open positiof injdotted lines.V o Referi'i'ng'now to. the drawings in detali,

in which like reference characters design 'of like parts throughout Athe several '*iews,

l SdeSignates in general the hand numei'ai piece sterilizer, having a-cylindrical'metai tube 10`Whi'ch forms the main' body of the I container, and which is threadedat 11* at t lower end to receive 'a lrnurled can i pad 13 of Cotton batt' suitable substance is adapted to z linurled cap 12 at the bottoni of tainer to contain and absorb the disinfectan used.` The upperV part yofl the tube threaded at 14 and hasfa Vltnuried ringl 1:) screwed thereon to provide a convenienz ef, means of grippinggl the upper portion of the tube 10 and a'isof'serve as a locknut for :i knurled cap lwhich isthreaded and adapted to be screwed on the upper end of the tube lO'On the threads li. A circular open-- ing 17 lisprovided in the cap 16 through which a dentall hand piece 8 may be inserted. :Asoft rubber Washer v18, having` an aperture 19 therein is interposed between the inner surface of the cap 16 'and av met-al washer 20,

which rests upon` the top of the light metat tube lO. This -metal washerQO has a circu lar opening 21 therein similar in size and in alignment with the circular opening 17 of the cap 16. A horizontaliy disposed slot is cut in the cap 16 and is adapted to receive .'a thin, disc like closure 23 which is pivoted tal hand piece 8.

and secured to the cap 16 by means of a rivet 24;. Extending from this closure and formed integral therewith is a downwa-rdly bent hook 25 which serves the double pu'rpose of a supporting` hook and a grip for Operating the closure 23 (Fig'. 1).

The device is Very easy and simple to use. To load it with disinfectant, the cap 12 at the lower end of the tube is unscrewed and the pad 18 is remoyed and saturated with formaldehyde or some other suitable disinfectant. Contra-:mgle hand pieces 7' may be placed in the tube for sterilization when the cap 12 is unscrewed (Fig. 2).

The disinfectant pad 13 is then replaced in the cap 12, which is again screwed in place at the bottom of the tube 1.0. rllhe cap 16 at the upper end of the tube is loosened so that the soft rubber washer 18 rests in a normal position between the netal washer 20 and the inner surface of the Cap 16. 'he dental hand piece 8 isthen inserted in the sterilizer 9 through the apertures 17 of the cap 19 of the soft rubber washer and 21 of the metal washer 20, as illustrated in lfigure After the dental hand piece 8 is inserted into the tube 10 as described, the cap 16 may be screwed down slightly on the tube which will cause the soft rubber washcr 18 to be oompressed between the under side of the cap 16 and the metal washer 20. As the soft rubber washer 18 is compressed, the hole 19 will become smaller and, therefore, be tightened around the denlt is quite obvious that by maintaining a snug lit in this manner between the soft rubber washer 18 and the dental hand piece 8, the fumes from the disinfectant will be lprevented fromescaping the container. Thisfeature also allows for adjustment should any wear occur on the surface of the dental hand piece itse'lf for in the rubber washer 18. It is apparent that this adjustable feature allows the sterilizer to be used in connection with dental hand pieces having body portions of Various diameters by i'nerely adjusting the cap 16. After the withdrawal of the hand piece from the sterilizer, the disc closure 23 is rotated Vupon the pin or rivet 241 to a position where itenters the slot 22 of the cap 16 and completely closes the circular opening 17 in the cap 1.6 of the sterilizing device 9 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4.' This closure 23 prevents the escape of any gaseous fumes from the disinfectant while the dentist is using,` the hand piece and the sterilizing device is not being used, and also pre- Vents the accumulation of any dust or foreign matter in the sterilizer.

The hook member 25 formed integral With the closure member 23 serves'as a support for the sterilizer and is adapted to engage a supporting member 30 shown in Figure 1, such as is found on the framework of any dental engine.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific design illus-' trated in the drawings, but only by Vthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim- V p l. A container for sterilizing dentalhand pieces, comlfirising` a tube vhaving a cap screwed on the lower end thereof completely closing said end, aln absorbent pad placed therein to contain disinfectant, a metallic ring resting` on the top of said tube, anV apel'- tured cap having` a horizontal slot therein screwed over the top of said tube, a rubber washer having a circular opening,` therein disposed and adapted to be compressed between the inner surface of said cap and said ring' to reduce the size of the opening` in the rubber washer, a disc closure member pivotaliy mounted in the horizontal slot of said cap, and a hoolr formed on said closure forV mainipulating the closure to close the aperture in the cap and also serve as a support for the tube.

2. A container for sterilizing dental hand pieces, comprising a tube, the lower end of which is closed completely, an absorbent pad placed therein to contain disinfectant, a metal washer resting on the upper end of said tube, an apertured cap screwed over the top of said tube, an elastic member having an opening therein to admit a hand piece to be sterilized disposed between said washer and said cap and adapted to be compressed between said cap andsaid washer when the cap is screwed down on the tube to reduce the size of'the opening in the elastic member and tighten it about the hand piece to be sterilized, and a closure member pivotally mounted in said cap adapted to be Vpivoted andlclose the aperture in the cap.

o In. a container for sterilizing dental hand pieces, the combination of a tube, one

end of which is completely closed, and means:

for partially closing the opening` in the other end of. said tube, comprising a metal ring resting' on top of said tube, a cap screwed over the top of said tube and afn elastic washer'disposed and adapted. to be compressed between said cap and ring to Vary the size of the opening nthe endof said tube. w

In witness whereof, I hereunto Subscribe my name this 26 day of June, 1926.

JAMES E. KEEFE. 

